After Death, Life
by ConfuciusSay
Summary: This is AU after episode 5.13. As far as pairings go, Vaughn is dead and everyone loves Sydney but I don't know who she'll select.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias or any of it's characters or themes. This story is intended for my own amusement and no financial gain is involved.

Summary: This is set sometime in the future. I've started writing it after episode 5.13 and I don't think it contradicts the series up to that point. Depending on where the final episodes go it may be set after the series ends or it may be AU after 5.13. As far as pairings and plot go, I'm not real sure where I'm headed. Only 2 things I know for sure and that is that everyone loves Sydney and Vaughn is dead.

Sydney Bristow was tired of disappointment. It seemed that everyone in her life was destined to disappoint. Her father spent so many years not being there for her and then several more trying to arrange her life. Her mother left her as a child and later was always on the opposite side of the fight. Danny, Francie, Emily, and Nadia all left her. Not really their choice, but they were gone just the same. Will and Weiss deserted her. Sloane had never been honest with her. Noah turned out to be the Snowman. And there was Vaughn. Vaughn married another woman. Vaughn wasn't really Vaughn. And Vaughn left her, same as the rest. With a history like hers, eventually you expect to be let down. You depend on yourself, and while you may trust others with your life, you trust no one with your heart. And life becomes lonely, a shadow of it's former self. And eventually you just don't care anymore.

"I'm approaching the warehouse. There's a blue sedan on the northeast side of the building. The informant must be inside."

"Copy that Mountaineer."

"Going radio silent."

The door to the warehouse swung open with a load creak. Sydney stepped inside cautiously and glanced around.

"Mr. Taligani?"

The stillness that greeted her in reply was not a good sign. Either the informant had been compromised or was this was a set-up. Sydney pulled her gun and began a sweep of the warehouse. When the CIA had received intel of a possible Prophet 5 defector they had jumped at the opportunity. Now, it seemed, things had been too good to be true. Why was it the most straightforward missions always proved to be otherwise? In the future she would have to remember not to volunteer for this type of assignment. Before Sydney could question the wisdom of her choice further, she felt a sharp pain in her side. She hadn't even heard the assailant approach. And before the knife came down again, she couldn't help but admire his prowess.

This wasn't how she had imagined things would end. Sydney knew the risks that came with the line of work she had never managed to escape. But years of success had left her with a feeling of invincibility. She certainly hadn't planned on being taken down during a fairly routine operation. But it didn't make much difference, did it? The end of her life meant the end of her disappointment. And as the darkness overtook her, she couldn't help but smile.

But there was a third player in this act, waiting in the wings. The assailant turned and left Sydney to her fait. And, as if on cue, he emerged from the shadows and dust. He lifted Sydney carefully while dialing for assistance on his cell. And in moments, they were met outside by an unmarked ambulance. As they sped away, the warehouse exploded behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias or any of it's characters or themes. This story is intended for my own amusement and no financial gain is involved.

Summary: This is set sometime in the future. I've started writing it after episode 5.13 and I don't think it contradicts the series up to that point. Depending on where the final episodes go it may be set after the series ends or it may be AU after 5.13. As far as pairings and plot go, I'm not real sure where I'm headed. Only 2 things I know for sure and that is that everyone loves Sydney and Vaughn is dead.

Julian Sark was a connoisseur. He appreciated fine wines, fine tea, fine clothing, and fine women. And he had always had an appreciation for the very fine Sydney Bristow. She had captured his attention with her lounge act in Paris and he had been watching her ever since. Discretely of course, it would never do to let his colleagues know of his interest. For in Sark's world colleagues often became foes. There had been women in Sark's life, Allison, and Lauren among others. And they had been entertaining distractions. But all they had been was at best distractions, and at worst simply another link to Sydney.

Sark had, on occasion, used Sydney. She was especially useful in bringing down The Alliance. And he had thwarted her missions on countless occasions, even injured her when it was required. But he had always done what he could to protect her. He couldn't explain it, but he Needed Sydney. His heart was too cold for any pretense to love. And as amazing as she was, he was not the type to worship. But Sark could not imagine his world, if Sydney Bristow were not a part of it. So he did what he could to watch over her.

Julian Sark was in control. His appearance to many was often that of a pawn to the plans of his momentary employer. But Sark selected his employers, not the other way around. And his missions were always a way of achieving his own ends. The world never questioned his motives or tried to understand his end game, because to them he was only a hired lackey. Effective, but ultimately no threat. This suited Julian very well. And he began with only his end game in mind. But from the first time he laid eyes on Sydney Bristow, Julian had a second motive: to see her again. And so he selfishly arranged to be on the opposite side of many of her missions. And he did what he could to be sure she never came to any serious harm.

Julian Sark was also well informed. He had the information ahead of any of the intelligence agencies, legit or criminal. This gave him the chance to position himself with a useful employer, make sure the employer had the information at the same time as the CIA, and be able to achieve his own means and see Sydney in the process. This is how Julian always stayed one step ahead.

When Sark had caught wind of the "informant" he had known it was an ambush. The information for the meeting had gone directly to the CIA without any leaks along the way, and that NEVER happened so he knew it would be a trap. And he knew they would send Sydney. But there was nothing he could do to warn her, so he simply made it to the warehouse first and waited, to do whatever he could. He was thankful for the assailant's preference to knives, more painful but also slower to kill. Bullets could be so final. If he acted fast, a knife wound could be repaired. But it surprised him how easily Sydney went down. She should have been more alert. She was better than this.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias or any of it's characters or themes. This story is intended for my own amusement and no financial gain is involved.

Summary: This is set sometime in the future. I've started writing it after episode 5.13 and I don't think it contradicts the series up to that point. Depending on where the final episodes go it may be set after the series ends or it may be AU after 5.13. As far as pairings and plot go, I'm not real sure where I'm headed. Only 2 things I know for sure and that is that everyone loves Sydney and Vaughn is dead.

The next weeks were a nightmare. Sydney was taken to a private facility where she was between the OR and the ICU for weeks. Sydney needed extensive surgeries to repair the damage that had been done. And the doctors had a hard time stabilizing her. She wasn't fighting, and for a while things didn't look too good. Sark spent the time Sydney was in surgery in an observation room, otherwise he was at her side. He didn't waste his breath talking to her when he knew his was a voice she would rather not hear. He just kept an eye on her vitals and tried to make sure she was comfortable. Then, finally, she took a turn for the better. Her condition stabilized and remained that way for several days. Scans and x-rays showed that she was healing and more surgery would not likely be required. And the doctors predicted recovery. So Sark left instructions for Sydney's care and discharge. She was to be released to one of Sark's staff once she was fully recovered. And then Sark left. And as he left the hospital, Julian Sark prayed to a God he had once forsaken that she might be safe from danger.

Sydney spent a total of 12 weeks in a coma. The time was a mixture of memories and nightmares, and she couldn't always tell which was which. Were her parents executed as traitors of the United States? Had her mother betrayed her father? Had Sloane's betrayal led to Nadia's death? And that of her baby? Had Anna killed Vaughn? Did Weiss leave? Sydney's mind spun a tale of the past months that she could hardly believe, and yet she knew it was all true. Slowly the events came back to her in more detail, and eventually in chronological order: Nadia's coma, Vaughn's assassination, Weiss's abandonment, Nadia's awakening, Sloane's betrayal, Nadia's death, Vaughn's death, her mother's betrayal of her father and their execution, the loss of her baby, and the mission in the warehouse. And then Sydney awoke.

Her first few days awake were a blur. She was unsure of what had happened and where she was, even if she was really alive. The doctors and nurses were all very patient with her, but all they could tell her about was her injuries. They had no idea how she had gotten there or what had happened to her. All anyone seemed to know was that she was to recover completely at their facility and then be released to a woman named Caroline McCree.

Sydney was frustrated with her situation, but the more she tried to remember, the more bizarre it all seemed. She knew her memories were true, but they were a little much to handle all at once so she tried to sort through them.

She started with Vaughn. They had finally managed to put the past behind them and move on. Then there was the car crash. And Vaughn was taken away and suspected of being a double agent. He contacted her and when they met she learned about Vaughn's true identity and Prophet 5. It was soon after that she learned of their impending parenthood. Then Vaughn was shot and she and her father had staged his death and hidden him away safely. And then Vaughn was taken from her again by Anna, his time forever.

And there was Nadia. She had remained in a coma for a long while after the mission in Russia. Sloane had worked hard to find a cure for her, ultimately betraying them all. But it had been of no use. Nadia had awoken only to be betrayed by her father, and killed. And Sloane's betrayal had also cost Sydney her child. Sloane had been the one to steal Isabelle for Prophet 5.

Not knowing that Isabelle's abduction had anything to do with Prophet 5, Jack had contacted Irina for help. In an effort to aid Irina in their search for Isabelle, Jack turned over a number of sensitive US intelligence documents. When the intelligence leak and his work with Irina were discovered, Jack was followed to a meeting with Irina and both were taken into custody. They were executed as traitors of the US government inside a week.

And Weiss had left for Capitol Hill. And Sydney had been all alone. She remembered feeling helpless and needing to do something. So she had gone back to work, hoping for an escape.

Dixon had seriously questioned her return to active duty after only one month's leave. But she had passed all the psych evaluations, and he knew that throwing herself into her work would give Sydney a release. He picked her new team and gave instructions that they watch her for any signs that she might need to slow down. And 16 missions had gone by with Sydney on point and not one sign of trouble. So everyone had started to relax. Mission 17 had put Sydney alone in the abandoned warehouse. But how had she gotten to this hospital?

On her fourth day awake, she had a visitor, the mysterious Caroline McCree. Ms. McCree was able to tell Sydney that she had been brought to the hospital by her employer who wished to remain anonymous. She also explained to Sydney that the warehouse from her meeting had been incinerated shortly after she had left. The CIA had declared her dead, again. There had been a funeral and it was well attended. Ms. McCree gave Sydney a letter from her anonymous employer, told Sydney that the hospital would contact her when Sydney was ready to be discharged, and she left.

Sydney opened the letter curiously. Who on earth could be looking out for her now? A friend? Or a foe?

_Miss Bristow,_

_I know this must all seem a bit strange. Or perhaps not, given the circles we move in. Upon your discharge you will be given $1,000,000 in unmarked bills as well as several identities. Please take this gift and use it to start a new life. Whatever life you wish. Everyone thinks you are dead, and so you are finally free. _

_S._

Sydney had no idea who could have sent the letter, or the money. And she wasn't sure she wanted to know.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias or any of it's characters or themes. This story is intended for my own amusement and no financial gain is involved.

Summary: This is set sometime in the future. I've started writing it after episode 5.13 and I don't think it contradicts the series up to that point. Depending on where the final episodes go it may be set after the series ends or it may be AU after 5.13. As far as pairings and plot go, I'm not real sure where I'm headed. Only 2 things I know for sure and that is that everyone loves Sydney and Vaughn is dead.

"Bosco, you rascal," Sydney called out. "Those are my favorite shoes!" Sydney gingerly lifted a black manolo blahnik pump to survey the damage. "Completely ruined," she muttered to herself. Watching her from the doorway, the small Maltese puppy had enough sense to lower his head and look remorseful. "Oh, don't look so sad," she lectured him. "You know you aren't the least bit sorry and you'll be destroying another pair as soon as you get the chance." And then she laughed as she went to the closet in search of her black Kate Spade sling backs to replace the Blahniks for tonight's date.

Although he was loathe to admit it, Sydney had always been a crucial part of Sark's life. And now that she had retired, so to speak, he missed meeting her in the field. He had given her the money with the intention of keeping a loose eye on her. He merely wanted to know where she was at and if she was in any danger. But it hadn't been enough. A month after she left the hospital, he had flown to Tuscany to check the security of her villa when she was out. Then two weeks after that, he had situated himself at an outside café across from the open-air market where she did her shopping every Tuesday. And six weeks later, he had started running background checks and doing surveillance on everyone she encountered. Her housekeeper, her friend Sofia, the clerk she bought vegetables from, her dog breeder, and of course her dates. And he was a bit alarmed at how many there were. But yesterday he had really gone overboard. He had installed cameras in her villa covering every angle of every room. And he told himself it was only to be sure she was safe. And although he wouldn't admit it, he knew it was a lie. So he watched as a tiny ball of black fur attacked a pair of black pumps that he had been looking forward to seeing on Sydney. And he watched as she discovered the destruction and gave the pup a gentle scolding. And he watched her replace them with the other shoes. And he watched her laugh. And he saw the smile reach her eyes for the first time since Vaughn's death. And he smiled too.

Sydney dressed with more care than usual that evening. She was really looking forward to an evening at the opera, and she had to admit an evening in Carlos's company was always enjoyable. Suave, wealthy, funny, and very good looking, of all the men she had been out with Carlos was definitely her favorite. So Sydney took her time getting ready. She sat at her vanity in a pink satin robe that almost covered the triangular birthmark on her thigh, but not quite. Sydney passed over most of her make up and carefully applied a thin line of black liner to her upper lid, followed by a light black mascara, and a deep red lipstick. She pressed her lips together and then darted her tongue between them to be sure the application was even. Then she winked at her reflection as she picked up her brush. The brush was heavy, being mad of silver, and not very practical. But it made Sydney feel like a princess, so she used it anyways. She leaned forward a little and began running the brush through her hair. Next Sydney sectioned out her hair and began rolling it in hot rollers. And as she worked her way around her head, her robe fell open to reveal a pink lace negligee as decedent as the robe had been. Once all of her hair had been rolled, Sydney moved to the closet, no bothering to adjust her open robe and brought out the gown she had purchased for the evening and laid it across the bed. Sydney picked up a pair of old-fashioned stockings, the kind with a seam running down the back of the leg. They had always been her favorite style. She rolled them down, careful not to snag them with her nails and slowly pulled them on, first one leg and then the other. With her stockings in place, Sydney reached down to secure her feet in the sling backs, pouting just a little at the loss of her favorite pumps. And then she reached for the dress. She held it up for inspection and ran her hands over the soft silk. And then she draped it over her head, wiggling just a bit in order to pull it down and secure the zipper. On the hanger it had looked like an ordinary little black dress. But on Sydney? On Sydney it was amazing, and she knew it. She gave her reflection a cat-in-the-cream grin and headed for the door, picking up a small red clutch on her way.

She met Carlos in the foyer and his jaw dropped in amazement. "I . . . Uh, You . . . Um . . . Absolutely stunning," he managed. And Sydney couldn't help but giggle in excitement and feminine pride. "Shall we?" asked Carlos, still looking a bit in shock. "We shall," Sydney replied taking his arm. And the two walked out. Sydney thinking that the evening ahead was going to be all she had hoped and Carlos wondering what he could have done to earn such favors from the Gods.

Sark had spent most of the day in an attempt to ignore the images of Sydney's villa on his monitors. And it had been a partially successful attempt. But by 7:00 he could no longer deny himself, and so it happened that Carlos was not the only one to appreciate Sydney's appearance that night. Sark turned to the monitors as Sydney sat at her vanity and the pink robe had the effect of leaving him a bit dizzy. Sark sat carefully, knowing he should turn away, but instead took note of the triangular birthmark. How odd that in all the different costumes he'd seen her in he had never noticed this tiny mark. And he began to question whether or not he really knew Sydney Bristow at all. And as he watched her apply her makeup he wondered what other secrets she might have. Then she pressed her lips together and Sark stopped wondering. And when her robe fell open, he stopped thinking at all. And when Sydney began putting on her stockings, his throat went dry. And when she shimmied her hips to get into her dress, he stopped breathing. He didn't start again until he let out a gasp as she smiled at herself in the mirror. And when Carlos looked her over with a slightly possessive glint in his eye, Sark decided that it was a lovely night for the opera.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias or any of it's characters or themes. This story is intended for my own amusement and no financial gain is involved.

Summary: This is set sometime in the future. I've started writing it after episode 5.13 and I don't think it contradicts the series up to that point. Depending on where the final episodes go it may be set after the series ends or it may be AU after 5.13. As far as pairings and plot go, I'm not real sure where I'm headed. Only 2 things I know for sure and that is that everyone loves Sydney and Vaughn is dead.

"I am so looking forward to this opera," Sydney practically gushed during the drive.

Carlos looked from the road to Sydney, only briefly glancing down from her face, "I am glad."

And Sydney felt a little guilty as she continued to flirt shamelessly. She respected Carlos, but she could not love him. And she was worried he might be falling in love with her. During the rest of the ride Sydney wondered how much further she should pursue their relationship, knowing that she would never love him. But the drive was short and Sydney was unable to make any conclusions. Carlos pulled into the lane for valet parking and cut the ignition. He came around the car and opened Sydney's door and offered her his arm. She smiled softly and took it, removing herself gracefully from the car. And when Carlos handed the keys to the valet who couldn't take his eyes off Syd, he positively beamed. Sydney decided that it was nice to feel so special and selfish as it may be, she didn't want to give this up until she had to.

The inside of the opera house was a stunning conglomeration of ivory and gold. There were marble floors and staircases, frescos on the walls and ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and gilding everywhere. Although Syd had spent much of her career flitting in and out of ritzy places, this was a totally new experience. To be here on invitation, with a charming man and no hidden agenda, made Sydney feel like a princess. And she smiled up at Carlos, thinking nothing could ruin this night.

Sark had arrived at the opera house some time earlier. He had chosen to park himself and then waited in his sedan, watching for Sydney's arrival. He hadn't been waiting long when Carlos and Sydney pulled up to valet in his Porsche and headed for the entrance of the opera house. Sark followed discreetly and still found it amazing that Sydney could relax so completely that she didn't even realize she was being followed.

And in the lobby of the opera house, a single agent watched the arrivals with growing interest.

"Retriever, do you see anything?"

"The target has arrived," the agent replied. "And he's not alone, just as we predicted. He's with a _really_ hot brunette."

Then a moment later, "What is he doing here?" the agent muttered under his breath.

"What's going on retriever?" came the reply in his earpiece.

"Sark just entered the opera house," the agent replied, "and he seems to be following our man."

"We need to get to him before Sark does. Team A move in. Retriever, you know what to do. Cougar you take Sark."

The agent met eyes with another man across the lobby and both began to move.

Sark knew instantly that he was being followed. He discretely worked himself into a position to get a peak at his tail. And he was more than a little shocked to see Will Tippin. "What is going on," he thought to himself. And then he worked his way around the opera house leading Will away from the box where Sydney would be seated in an effort to keep her from being discovered.

Meanwhile, a CIA team began moving toward the same box Sark was leading Will away from. The agents were all in plainclothes and discrete enough not to be noticed. When they reached the doorway to Carlos's box they determined that the area was deserted and then knocked.

"What on earth?" Sydney asked hearing the knock.

"Oh, probably just a business associate," Carlos replied. "This is my usual seat so anyone would know to find me here." And he went to step outside.

"Oh," Sydney muttered feeling a bit silly, but still something didn't seem right about it.

When Carlos didn't return as quickly as Sydney expected she tried to convince herself that all was well, but she couldn't. And Sydney went to investigate. What she found, justified her concern. Carlos was being dragged away unconscious by four men in suits. Sydney took off after them in an attempt to save him. In a flurry of arms and legs and the pure aggression that was typical of her previous life, Sydney took out the four men in a matter of seconds. She was attempting to remove Carlos when another man grabbed her from behind. She was able to free herself, inflicting a substantial amount of pain on her captor, but she was too late. She saw Carlos being dragged away by the agent, Eric Weiss.

And then Sydney ran.

Sark continued to lead Will until they reached a deserted hallway. Here he decided to make his stand. Before he knew what was happening, Will was being held around the neck with a gun to his temple.

"Why are you here," Sark asked in his usual icy tone.

"As if you didn't know," Will replied, "I wonder though why you are here. We hadn't thought Carlos's activities would concern you."

"How did I miss this," Sark thought to himself. But he did not show Will his shock at finding out Carlos wasn't as squeaky clean as he had been lead to believe.

"You are here after Carlos?" he asked Will. "What about the woman with him?"

"We have no intel on her. She attempted to rescue Carlos, but was unsuccessful. And then she escaped our agent."

"Escaped unidentified?"

"Yes, _why_?" was Will's reply.

But Sark didn't answer. He knocked Will unconscious and left to find Sydney.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Alias or any of it's characters or themes. This story is intended for my own amusement and no financial gain is involved.

Summary: This is set sometime in the future. I've started writing it after episode 5.13 and I don't think it contradicts the series up to that point. Depending on where the final episodes go it may be set after the series ends or it may be AU after 5.13. As far as pairings and plot go, I'm not real sure where I'm headed. Only 2 things I know for sure and that is that everyone loves Sydney and Vaughn is dead.

Sydney had never been so confused in her life. Okay, maybe that was a bit untrue. After all, what could be more confusing than waking up to find your boyfriend married and be told that you had been missing two years? So Sydney had been more confused in her life. But she was also confused now. What was Carlos involved in? It had obviously been CIA that apprehended him. So there were two options, either he was deep into something that she did not want to know about or they were looking for her. And since they had been oblivious to her presence tonight, she had to believe it was the former. So her sometimes boyfriend was a shady character, just another disappointment. And disappointment had gotten easy to handle. But now she had to think about what to do next. If they had come for him, they would also be looking for his associates, and her villa, and her identity may no longer be safe. So Sydney went to a posh little hotel downtown to rest for the night and to retrieve a different persona.

Sark didn't need to look long to find Sydney. He knew she had stashed some money and an ID at a hotel downtown, so he found her the first place he looked. Sark checked the hotel's security, took out the cameras, and watched the local officials for any signs that they might be looking for her. Then, when he knew she would be asleep, he slipped a quickly penned note under her door. And he headed back to her villa.

The next morning Sydney awoke feeling well rested and ready to move on. It was only a little difficult to leave her new life behind. She would miss Bosco the most. She almost left the room without noticing the folded note on the floor, but it caught her eye just as she was about to shut the door. She took the note and placed it in her pocket, checking the hallway as she went out. Sydney slipped out a side door to avoid any hotel lobby cameras (not knowing that Sark had already taken the system down so that she would be able to escape without her new disguise being caught on tape). She walked a few blocks to a small piatza to read the mysterious note.

_Miss Bristow,_

_And so we meet again, in a manner of speaking. Please do not return to your villa, it is no longer safe. I trust you will be able to find a new home in another part of the world. And I apologize._

_S._

And now Sydney _was_ more confused than ever. She had known that by using the IDs supplied by her mysterious benefactor she would be allowing that person to find her. But she had done so anyways, mostly because she was curious who S might be. But now she had to acknowledge that this person must be watching her every move. And that made Sydney uneasy. But still, her current ID would be the easiest way to slip out of Italy even if she could be tracked by the mysterious S. So now the only decision left was where to go.

Eric Weiss didn't want to tell anyone that he had seen Sydney Bristow at the opera house. Who would believe him? After all, he had been forced to take a 6 month leave of absence after her most recent 'death' because he had been seeing her everywhere. And he certainly didn't want to repeat all the time in 'required' therapy. But he had told Will.

"Eric, are you listening?" Will had asked him on the flight back from Italy.

"Sorry, I guess I was spacing off," he'd replied.

"Sark had no idea why we were there," Will had continued. "He seemed surprised that we were after Carlos. I got the impression that he thought we were there for the girl."

At which point Eric's head had snapped up. "Are you sure?" he'd asked.

"Pretty sure," Will had replied. "Did you see her? Any idea who she was?"

"I wasn't sure at first, but now I know it was her. Will, it was Sydney."

And they had agreed not to keep it between themselves. So he simply tried not to think of it, but he couldn't control his dreams. And in his dreams, she was all he saw.


End file.
